1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a polarization beam splitter (PBS) and an optical system. More particularly, the invention relates to a PBS generating a polarized light beam by employing a cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) layer and an optical system having the PBS.
2. Description of Related Art
Polarization beam splitters (PBSs) have been extensively applied to various optical systems for providing the optical systems with polarized light beams having specific polarization directions. For instance, the PBSs are used in liquid crystal projectors on market to transform light beams generated by light sources into polarized light beams which can be utilized by liquid crystal light valves. As such, images can be projected by means of the polarized light beams.
In general, the PBSs have following designs: wire-grid polarizers (WGPs), thin-film polarizers (TFPs), polymer-film polarizers (PFPs), and so on. However, the complicated structures and high manufacturing costs of the conventional PBSs hinder the development of such PBSs.